The Original Nature of the Heart
by AtomicPsychology
Summary: AU. Thirteen years ago, the Order of the White Lotus tried to kidnap the Avatar, but the Red Lotus rescued her... or so she was told. Raised by Zaheer and his allies, Korra is a living god of anarchy. With the Anti-Bending Revolution and Harmonic Convergence looming on the horizon, Korra is destined to lead the new world order. Cover art by MELON LORD SKETCHES AND STUFF on Tumblr!
1. The Dawning of a New Age

_**The Original Nature of the Heart**_

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She was horrified and crying and very, very cold. A man carries her in his arms. Looking over his shoulder, the girl could almost see the flickering of flames against the darkness. The loud and angry voices of men echo in the distance.

And then the darkness falls. The light is swallowed by the void. Her consciousness drifts away as the cold embraces her.

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_"Let Xai Bau do what needs to be done."_

_"No. Not now."_

_"What do you mean 'not now'?"_

_"It just… It just doesn't have to be this way..."_

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**O-O-O~~~~~~~~~~~~O-O-O~~~~~~~~~~~~O-O-O**

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The girl wakes up gasping for air. A man sits cross-legged beside a fire. He looks up from the book he was reading to acknowledge her. His hair is tied back in a ponytail. He had a scar on his left eyebrow and his ears looked swollen and slightly misshapen.

"You're up early."

The girl is confused. She looks around frantically, beads of sweat beginning to form on her forehead. The sun is barely rising over the mountains.

"W-Where am I? Where are my mom and dad?" Her lips quivered.

"Don't worry. You're safe now. Your mother... And father," he diverts his eyes away from her gaze and shakes his head; "There was nothing left when we arrived."

"What? No. That's... You're—You're lying!" She is about to stand when the man seizes her arm swiftly.

"It's dangerous out there. They're searching for you as we speak. If they find you—"

"Let go of me!"

While the girl struggles to free her arm from the man's vice-like grip, a small flame burns in her other hand. She quickly yanks her arm away as the fire kisses his cheek. She's going to escape. Run back home and never look back. Find her mom and dad and—

She makes it over the hill, but collides into something hard. The girl falls back into the soft snow. A shadow looms over her, obscuring the morning sun emerging from the horizon. The four year old girl's eyes flutter open to see a giant woman towering over her. She has a tattoo in the center of her forehead and a severe kind of beauty. She looks and sees the man clutching his face.

"What the—what did you do!?" The woman shouted.

The giant woman rushes past the girl towards the man. Behind the woman are two other people. One was a man with long black hair, a goatee, and tattoos that covered his arms. By his side was a smaller woman. What sets her apart from the others was her lack of arms. Instead, she had tentacles made entirely of water. The girl gasped and started to back away. The goatee man walked towards her.

"Hey. If you keep scooting back like that you're gonna—" the girl tumbles backwards down the hill, "fall off... the edge."

The girl rolls back down the hill. She gets back on her feet only to see the tall women standing inches away from her.

"What's wrong with you? We're trying to help you!" The woman scowled at her. The girl glared back in return.

"It's fine. I'm okay." The man was standing behind her. A streak of vibrant red was visible of his left cheek. The girl stared daggers at the man.

"Don't you know who I am? I'm—"

"The Avatar. We're well aware." The man reaches inside his coat and gives her a patch of cloth. Her eyes widened. It was burned and ragged, but she recognized it in a heartbeat. It is the symbol of her family. The one her father wears on his coat: a blue hexagon, with three triangles pointing outwards, and a white dot in the middle. Her hands trembled as she reached for it. Tears were running freely down her face.

"Who did this? Why did they do this? Why me?" Her voice broke. She fell to her knees; her small shoulders shook as she clutched the tattered piece of cloth.

"Do you remember those people who came to visit you?" She stared at him. She was finally listening to the truth. Good. "They are a part of a secret society known as the Order of the White Lotus," the man continued, "They have been searching for you ever since your predecessor passed away, _Korra_."

The young Avatar was at a loss for words.

"They wanted to use you. They sent their agents out in the middle of the night to take you away from everything you knew. Your father and his fellow tribesmen tried to protect you, but by the time we got there, it was already too late."

"How do you know all this? Who are you guys?" She looked at the strangers standing before her. The people who apparently saved her. The people who want to help her.

"My name is Zaheer. That man over there is Ghazan and the woman standing next to him is Ming-Hua," Ghazan nods at Korra and Ming-Hua raises a tentacle. Zaheer gestures towards the tall woman standing beside him, "And her name is P'Li. We are members of the Red Lotus."

Korra stifled a gasp. Zaheer could see what she was thinking in her eyes and continued to explain further.

"We are what the White Lotus originally stood for. After the Hundred Year War, the White Lotus lost its righteous way. Its members came out of hiding and openly served corrupt nations. So a wise man separated himself from the White Lotus and began his own rebellion against them."

"How were you guys able to find me?" Korra asked, wiping away stray tears. Her knees buckled underneath her as she tried standing up.

"We intercepted a message from the White Lotus that contained information regarding their plans to kidnap you," Ming-Hua replied, "We found you lying near the rubble of your home." Korra sniffled and looked up at Zaheer.

"What did you mean when you said the White Lotus wanted to use me?"

"The White Lotus want to turn you into a weapon that would carry out their agenda. They wanted you to become a servant to tyrants and despots. You are one of the most powerful beings in the universe. But there are people out there who want to control you, to enslave you. You're mind, body, and soul."

"What happens now? What's going to happen to me?"

"For now, we will help guide you on your path to becoming a fully realized Avatar by serving as your mentors," Zaheer proclaimed, "And in return, all we ask is that you shall lead the Red Lotus into a new world order. We have so much to offer you."

These people... They found her. They saved her. And now they want to help her become stronger. Strong enough to take down the White Lotus. Take down the monsters who murdered her mother and father. Help her change the world and turn it into a better place.

Korra nodded her head.

"Okay."

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**A/N:** Thank you for reading!


	2. I Thought I'd Never See You Again

_**The Original Nature of the Heart**_

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The young Avatar kept her distance from the other four. They made sure Korra was within their line of sight at all times, but she made sure to avoid them. Whenever they so much as even glance in her direction, she would turn the other away. She was stuck with these people. Probably until she died. Or they died. Or if the White Lotus ever catch her...

She kept her family's symbol in her pocket. To keep it safe. It's the only thing that helps remind her that they even existed...

Korra looked at her two hands. The hands that can already bend three elements. The reason why they killed her mom and dad. It was her fault.

That's right. It was all her fault.

If they never discovered that she was the Avatar, none of this would have happened. Nobody would be hunting her down. She would still be sitting at home with her real parents. But now she is roaming through a frozen wasteland with four strangers.

All because she was the Avatar.

_I wish I was never born.  
_  
A single tear rolled down her cheek. Korra hastily wiped it away, hoping no one saw. Ming-Hua turned to look at Ghazan, who was walking beside her.

"Hey. What do you think we should do?" Ming-Hua murmured. She had seen that stray tear.

"We do nothing. Just leave her be." Ghazan whispered back. They continued onward until suddenly Zaheer stopped and motioned for everyone to get down on the floor. Korra froze, fear constricting her chest, robbing her of breath.

"Kid! Get down before they see us!" Ming-Hua said in a hushed voice. The Avatar practically dived into the snow.

Zaheer quickly pulled out a telescope. His lips curled downwards and he furrowed his brow. Groups of men and women organized into search parties were spread out, their indigo robes and white armor distinguishing them. _Poor misguided souls._

"It's the White Lotus. They're looking for you." Zaheer said, looking over his shoulder at Korra. The Avatar could almost hear the blood pounding in her skull. "Have you been covering our tracks Ming-Hua?"

"Of course. Since daybreak."

"Good." Zaheer unpacked a folded map of the entire Southern Water Tribe region and a compass from his bag. The rest of his friends huddled around it, plotting their next course of action.

"The White Lotus probably closed off the South from the rest of the world." Zaheer said, tracing his finger across the Southern Water Tribe's docks, seaports, and shipyards.

Ghazan grumbled under his breath. "The plan was to leave the South by sundown. Now what are we supposed to do?" P'Li motioned for the telescope from Zaheer.

"I wonder where they go when they're done searching for the day," P'Li said, observing the White Lotus through the spyglass. She suddenly smirked, as if something dark crossed her mind, "I think we should follow them."

Ghazan's eyes lit up and he grinned as well. "I like the way your girl thinks, Zaheer."

"It's too reckless," Zaheer said disapprovingly, "We'd be delivering the Avatar straight to them on a silver platter."

"I'll keep an eye on her while you three do what needs to be done." Ming-Hua offered.

"You sure Ming-Hua?" Zaheer asked.

"Yeah. It's not a problem."

"I think you guys are forgetting something," Ghazan said, "Where are we gonna rendezvous?"

Ming-Hua looked at the map and found what she was looking for.

"Right here." Ming-Hua said, shaping the tip of her water prosthetic into a hand. She pointed to a simple picture of a jagged black shape jutting out of the ground just east of where they were sitting.

"_The Shipwreck_?" P'Li knitted her eyebrows.

"Isn't that place supposed to be haunted or something?" Ghazan added.

"It's a Fire Nation cruiser that was trapped in the ice by waterbenders during the Hundred Year War. Nobody would ever venture there. Something about it being cursed or full of booby traps or whatever," Ming-Hua reasoned, turning to Zaheer, "I'll take the Avatar there. I'm the only one who can navigate through this terrain fast. We'll meet up there okay?"

"Promise you'll keep her safe?"

Ming-Hua nodded, "I promise."

"Alright then," Zaheer said, packing the items back into his bag.

Korra looked over to see Ming-Hua walking towards her. Ming-Hua's presence always made her feel uneasy. Was it her pale and gaunt figure? Or the unnatural way she uses water? Maybe the lifeless look in her eyes? The Avatar could not decide.

"C'mon Kiddo. We gotta go." Ming-Hua said, extending a water tentacle to the young Avatar. Korra reached out, but then decided against it. She got back on her feet without the waterbender's assistance.

"Where are we going? Where are you taking me?"

"Relax Kid. We're getting as far away as possible from the White Lotus. Zaheer and the others will lead them away."

"Are they gonna come back?" Ming-Hua raised an eyebrow. _Since when did she care?  
_  
"Of course. Why wouldn't they?"

Korra shrugged. She turned and accidentally locked eyes with Zaheer. The man gave her a reassuring smile, but she looked away. Zaheer sighed and walked over to P'Li and Ghazan.

"Are you gonna miss me Ming-Hua?" Ghazan chuckled. Ming-Hua rolled her eyes.

"Haha. You're so funny," Ming-Hua replied as she wrapped her arms around her friends in a watery embrace, "Come back alive ya hear me? I can't raise this kid alone you know."

"Puh-lease." P'Li remarked dryly, rolling her eyes. Ming-Hua burst out laughing.

"Shut up! I can't believe you just said that! You're terrible!"

P'Li winked, waved goodbye, and walked away with Zaheer and Ghazan.

"Have fun being a third wheel Ghazan!" Ming-Hua laughed.

"Goodbye Ming-Hua!" Zaheer shouted back, reminding the armless waterbender of her responsibility. Ghazan turned around, clutching his neck and gagging. P'Li looked ready to tear his head off. The Avatar watched their playful teasing.

_They really are best friends_, Korra thought, _they have each other and I have no one..._

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"Hold on tight Kid." Ming-Hua said as Korra clung onto her back. Using waterbending, Ming-Hua's feet glide effortlessly over the icy floor. The wind whipped their hair back. The chilly air stung Korra's ears. She shut her eyes tight and pressed her face against the soft fur of Ming-Hua's hood...

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Ambient noises reverberated throughout the derelict vessel. Korra awoke to the sound of rusted iron clattering on the floor. Korra tore the blanket away and navigated through the pitch black void. The darkness was so thick it was suffocating. Her breath shallow, she held a small fire in the palm of her hand. It didn't help that her hands were shaking to keep the flame steady.

"Hello?" Korra said in a small voice. She heard something clang down the hall and she spun around. The Avatar stumbled backwards and the light extinguished. She started to cry. Alone. In the darkness. Again.

"Where are you?" Korra whimpered, curling into a ball.

"Hey! I'm up here!"

From the corner of her eye, she could see Ming-Hua's head looking down on her from a hole on the top deck. She stretched out a watery limb and Korra grabbed it without hesitation. The waterbender lifted the girl into the pale light of the moon.

"Why did you leave me?" Korra said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

"Don't cry, okay?" Ming-Hua said as she brushed away Korra's tears with her water tentacle.

"Okay." The Avatar sniffled. There was awkward silence between the two. Ming-Hua, feeling guilty, decided she needed to explain herself. She didn't expect the kid to wake up, and it was better to let her sleep inside rather than outside the ship.

"I thought you needed some sleep. That's why I left you inside. I was out keeping a lookout."

Korra nodded, but said nothing. Ming-Hua tried again.

"So I heard you threw fire at Zaheer's face? What else can you bend?"

"Fire, water and earth." Korra murmured. Ming-Hua genuinely looked impressed.

"Three elements already? But you're only four years old!" Ming-Hua said, "You're really talented."

Korra remembered what her mom would say. When people say something nice to her she should always be polite.

"Thank you." Korra mumbled. Before any more words could be exchanged, something began to break. Not on the ship. But in the ground itself. Bright, white light flashed in the distance. Korra ran over to the railing of the ship to see what was happening. Looking where the flashing lights came from, Korra heard the roar of the earth and watched its blood erupt from the ground. She could see the glowing crimson of lava spout miles away, contrasting with the black of night and muted colors of the ice and snow. Ming-Hua narrowed her eyes as Korra watched in awe.

"Is that lava!? My dad says volcanos don't live here in the South! We should go—"

"_No_," Ming-Hua's voice had a slight edge, "Let's just get back inside. It's not safe out here."

"But—"

"Come on," Ming-Hua carried the young Avatar and they descended down the hole together. The darkness was still suffocating. But this time, Korra was not alone.

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading! If you watched "Long Live the Queen", which of the two-out-of-three do you think Bolin got right about Ghazan? I know which two I'm gonna write about!

** JackieStarSister**: Thank you for bringing this to my attention! I promise to work on that from now on! And you're the only one who noticed the way Zaheer was talking to Korra... nice ;)


	3. Really? Right Now?

**The Original Nature of the Heart**

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"Let's take advantage of the morning so I can teach you something," was what Ming-Hua had said as she dragged Korra out of her cot. When the armless waterbender said "morning", she really meant the first evidence of light hiding behind the charred wood skies.

_The morning is evil_, Korra thought to herself, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, _Why do these Red Lotus guys always wake up this early?_

Korra suddenly realized something. The Red Lotus likes waking up early in the morning... And the morning is evil...

Therefore, the Red Lotus is evil!

It all made sense now...

Korra yawned as she pushed back the wave of water at Ming-Hua. Using slow and gentle movements with her water arms, Ming-Hua returns the wave back. They repeat this motion back in forth.

"You pick up fast for a four year old," Ming-Hua cracked a smile, "It's probably because you've already done this like a hundred times already."

_How can this woman smile at this hour?_ Korra sighed.

"Were you always naturally attuned with your native element or..." Her voice trailed off, realizing where the question was leading to. Korra halted the water in place.

"My dad... He taught me a few things," Korra's hands began to shake. The water was beginning to lose form. Control was being forgotten. Ming-Hua smiled wistfully.

"You're a lucky girl. My father never saw any reason to teach me."

The wave of water spilled over the snow-covered ground. Questions formed on the tip of Korra's tongue, threatening to escape her lips. One managed to slip away.

"How did you learn to waterbend?" The Avatar's eyes pleaded for understanding. To know more about the woman with no arms who is teaching her how to waterbend. Ming-Hua trilled her lips.

"Years and years of dedication and focus."

"Who taught you?" Korra asked. _Whoever could teach an armless woman how to waterbend must be a great teacher_, the girl reasoned.

"I taught myself."

"I'm serious," Korra put her mitten-covered hands on her hips, "Who taught you how to waterbend?"

Ming-Hua raised an eyebrow and realization dawned upon the Avatar.

"That's impossible! You need arms to waterbend!"

"Oh it's possible," Ming-Hua wiggled her tentacles, "And besides, arms are so overrated."

"No they're not! Arms are the coolest thing in the world." Emphasizing her point, Korra folded her arms.

"Oh yeah? Can your arms do this?" Ming-Hua morphed the tip of her tentacle into an eel-shaped head with gills, whiskers, and a dorsal fin. Korra recognized the creature from her storybook: _The Unagi and the Warriors of Kyoshi_. Korra, unwilling to admit defeat, accepted the challenge. Her attempt at creating a hand puppet to surpass Ming-Hua's was met with the restrictions of the human hand. Ming-Hua stuck out her tongue and squirted water at Korra from the unagi puppet's mouth.

"Hey!" Korra cried out as she covered her head from the stream of water. The Avatar quickly whisked a snowball with her waterbending and threw it at the woman's face.

"You little brat! Get back here!" Korra started to laugh as Ming-Hua chased her around with a water unagi head on each tentacle. Korra turned to see Ghazan sneaking up behind Ming-Hua. Korra clamped her hands over her mouth as Ghazan wrapped his arms around Ming-Hua's waist. He spun her around and Ming-Hua screamed, flailing the unagi heads.

"You two look like you're having fun. I want in!"

"Ming-Hua! Duck!" Korra yelled. The waterbender lowered her head and Ghazan was hit in the eye with a snowball. The distraction was enough for Ming-Hua to escape and join Korra's side against Ghazan. Ming-Hua blasted him with jets of cold water and Korra pelted the poor man with snowballs. Ghazan raised a small wall of earth to hide behind.

"That's not fair! You're both waterbenders!" Ghazan shouted. He quickly peeked over the wall and lifted a small pillar of earth beneath Korra's feet, knocking her off balance. Korra's snowball sailed over Ghazan's head and hit P'li's face instead. Ghazan and Ming-Hua flinched. P'li was literally steaming, the snowball disappearing off her face in a hiss and trail of vapor.

"What are you three doing?" The giant woman scowled.

"We were just... practicing waterbending! Yup, we were just teaching Korra how to waterbend," Ming-Hua flashed a smile. P'li rolled her eyes and stalked off in a huff.

"Then she needs more practice," P'li grumbled under her breath as she stomped passed Korra. The four year old stuck out her tongue and Ghazan snickered. Ming-Hua lifted Korra up in the air and carried the child on her shoulders.

"Whatever! She's already got the hang of it. She'll be as good as me, maybe even better, when I'm through with her." Ming-Hua declared back.

"Really? You think so?"

"If I can do it Kid, then so can you."

Korra looked thoughtful for a second and then decided to ask another question:

"Do I have to cut my arms off to be a good waterbender like you?" Ming-Hua looked up at the girl incredulously.

"Um... What? No... Kid, you can still keep your arms."

"Oh, okay."

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"So I'm guessing you two were okay while we were gone?" Zaheer questioned as he sipped tea from his cup. They were all sitting by a fire.

"Yeah we were okay," Korra said as she looked at Ming-Hua who was sitting beside her, "So what happened with the White Lotus?"

"Oh, they're gone now. They won't be bothering us anymore." Zaheer said softly. A small smile crept onto Ming-Hua's face.

"Hey that reminds me!" Korra exclaimed, "Did you guys see that volcano last night? It was huge!"

"A volcano?" Zaheer glanced at Ghazan, "You know there aren't any volcanoes in the Southern Water Tribe."

"Yeah, but this one is special. You saw it too! Remember Ming-Hua?" Korra turned to Ming-Hua for support.

"Oh yeah. It was probably one of those rare arctic... ice volcanoes," Ming-Hua changed the subject, "Anyway. Korra, you've had a long day today. I think you need to get some sleep."

"But I'm not sleepy yet."

"This is a limited time offer. I will read you something from one of Zaheer's books. Something with pictures."

"Hmm... Okay."

When Ming-Hua and Korra disappeared inside the ship. Zaheer turned to look at P'Li and Ghazan.

"Control yourselves next time. I shouldn't have to remind you."

"Like you're the one to talk about restraint," Ghazan countered. Zaheer looked down at his hands and clenched them into tight fists. "I didn't mean it like that Zaheer."

Zaheer sighed, "We'll just have to be more careful." They allowed the fire to crackle and the frozen air to whistle. There was nothing more to discuss.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight," P'Li announced. She walked away, but glanced back at Zaheer, beckoning him with her eyes. Zaheer stood up and followed. She squeezed his hand and his hatred for this world melted with a kiss and only she mattered. They could not imagine a perfect world without each other. They escaped the harsh cold together.

Ghazan kicked snow into the fire and decided he was tired as well. Tired of the fighting that never stopped. Tired of life and all the injustice it has brought down upon his friends. But now they have the Avatar. And she possesses something far greater than bending potential and raw spiritual energy. Korra gave him hope.

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading!

**JackieStarSister: **You make a very good point (_"Ming-Hua said, pointing to a simple picture..."_ She pointed with what? Her nose?). I'll start adding those little details. Thank you for the constructive criticism!

**Endless Strategy Games:** I think I did change it from "armless freak" to "armless creep" when I was skimming for edits, but you're right. A four year old girl wouldn't sound that rude/mean. I revised it. Thank you for bringing it up!.

**Lady Elvira:** Thank you for taking the time to write such a review! I appreciate your feedback!


	4. Told by a Fearful Body

**_The Original Nature of the Heart_**

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"Alright, let's see here," Ming-Hua muttered as her water arms rummaged through Zaheer's bags. Korra sat on the cot, cupping a fire in her hands, illuminating the room with a warm glow. The waterbender flipped through pages of books and unrolled scrolls, throwing them over her shoulder each time.

_Ten Thousand Musings of Laghima…Ew. The Complete Unabridged Works of Guru Laghima…Ugh... _Ming-Hua cursed the Air Nomad philosopher. She had grown to despise many of the boring sayings the 4,000 year old airbender pulled out of his ass that Zaheer would rehearse by memory during their travels.

She opened a leather bound journal and her jaw dropped. It was Zaheer's poetry book. Whenever they were sitting together, the man would occasionally reveal the book and recite a haiku and, of all things, _love poetry_ for P'Li. Ming-Hua cringed at the memory of Zaheer pouring his heart and soul out for all of them to hear. His many inspirations included: P'Li's lips… P'Li's eyes (all three of them)… Even P'Li's _freaking nail polish_. And P'Li would fall head over heels for it every single time. And then none of them would be getting any sleep those nights…

"Ooh what's that? Is that a picture book?" Korra said, peeking over Ming-Hua's shoulder and pointing to a rough sketch of what looked like P'Li. Ming-Hua slammed the books shut.

"No. This book isn't the right one for you," Ming-Hua threw the book aside and finally found what she was looking for, "Ah! Here it is. _Legends of the Avatar: Tales of Conflict and Strife_! This book is all about you Kid."

"Really?" Korra's interest was piqued.

"And look, there's pictures," Ming-Hua pointed the tip of her tentacle to an ornate illustration of an old man bending all four elements.

"Ew. I was an old man?" Korra scrunched up her face.

"Yup. Like a ton of times," Ming-Hua skimmed through pages of text, "Look at this. Avatar Kyoshi was like the real deal way back then." Ming-Hua's tentacle pointed to an illustration of the Avatar.

Korra was fascinated by the artwork of the powerful Earth Kingdom woman who triumphed over fallen armies of foolish warriors. Kyoshi's fans were raised high and her eyes burned with cosmic fury. Her facial make-up was smeared with blood.

"That's so cool." Korra sighed in admiration.

"Yeah," Ming-Hua nodded her head, "She even challenged the power of the 46th Earth King! Too bad she didn't take him out though. And because of her, the Earth Kingdom became an even worse place when she created the Dai Li."

"Why? What's wrong with the Earth King? What do you mean 'take him out'?"

"Kings are corrupt," Ming-Hua muttered as she turned the page.

"Huh? Why are kings—uh… what? Cor—"

"And then there's Roku who is arguably the worst Avatar ever. Because of his inability to deal with the Fire Lord, the Air Nomads were wiped out and the world was nearly conquered by that tyrant," Ming-Hua pointed to an artist's interpretation of the senile Avatar lamenting in the Spirit World, his face distorted into a mask of grief and shame.

Korra found the image disturbing.

"And don't even get me started on Aang. Ugh. What a mess."

"Wait. Why? What did he do?"

"Korra it's getting late. Really late," Ming-Hua yawned as she shut the book and set it aside, her voice hollow with drowsiness, "Zaheer said we could sleep in. Doesn't that sound great?"

"But—"

"Goodnight Korra," Ming-Hua stood up and walked out the door, lazily letting her water arms spill on the floor. Korra was left alone with her confusion and disappointment. It seemed as though whenever her past lives tried to fix something, they made grievous mistakes instead. It was puzzling and frightening all at the same time.

Was she destined to ruin the world once again?

With a flame in one hand and the book in another, she sat cross-legged on her cot and she began to "read". Or at least try to. She sounded out the words in her mind and struggled to comprehend their meaning. Korra studied the pictures and forced herself to understand the book and the knowledge it contained…

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Zaheer always woke up at the same time in the morning. P'Li was curled right beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. As he tried to slowly edge out of the cot, he saw her smiling. She only smiles like that when she's dreaming. She dreams the same thing every night. The happiest moment in her life

That one fateful day a rogue teenage boy freed a girl locked in a cage from the monsters of this world.

She never forgets it. She always reminds him about it. And Zaheer remembers that day and he agrees with her. It is the happiest moment in his life too.

His footsteps are silent as he walks up the stairs towards the deck. His family deserved to rest. He was grateful to have them by his side.

The sun is rising. The wind is calm. He sits in lotus position. He closes his eyes.

Meditation.

His friends tried meditating with him, but they never liked it. P'Li hated the feeling of closing her eyes and sitting out in the open, exposed. She said it made her feel vulnerable. And that's why she always watched him meditate. To protect the man who protected her all these years. Ghazan and Ming-Hua just agree that meditation is boring. Those two never had the patience for it.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Again. And again. And again. And—

"Excuse me?"

He opened his eyes and was greeted by large, bright blue ones.

"Uh. Yes?"

"Can I ask you a few questions?" Korra asked. He was taken aback by the request. This was the first time she willingly went up to him to ask him something.

"Er. Yes! Of course! Um… sit down." Zaheer motioned for the girl to sit and she did so. He noticed she was holding that book Ghazan had bought but never read.

"Okay. So last night, Ming-Hua said she was going to read me a story. But all she did was show me pictures and talk about the Avatars in this book. But that's not the point. I stayed up all night trying to read this book and I don't understand. Why does the Avatar help the kings if they're cor…rupt?"

"The Avatar's job is to bring balance to the world. But the world can never be balanced. Do you understand what I'm saying?" The girl nods her head. Zaheer continues to explain.

"The leaders of the three nations that allow this separation to occur think they are better than everyone. That is why they are corrupt. They are bad. They don't care about their people Korra."

"What are tire ants and desk pots? Are they like kings too?" Zaheer raised an eyebrow, but then remembered what he had told her. He could barely recall what being a child felt like. Talking to one was a whole different story. He was so used to talking to people his age. Might as well keep the language simple this time.

"You mean tyrants and despots? Yes... they are like kings. They are also bad people."

"Are there still kings and tyrants and desk—d-despots? I know the Water Tribe is ruled by a chief."

"A chief of the Water Tribe also acts like a king. And yes, there are still 'kings' in this world. The Earth Kingdom is ruled by an Earth Monarch. While the Earth Queen is the first female ruler in Earth Kingdom history, she is no different from the other kings before her. As you already know, the Water Tribe is governed by a Chief. The Fire Nation is led by the Fire Lord."

"But you forgot about Republic City! The city Avatar Aang built!"

"But that government is just as bad Korra. A council of five people chosen by the leaders of the other nations? The people stil cannot participate in any of these governments. They are subject to the whims of those in power."

"Whims? What does that mean?"

"The kings, chiefs, Fire Lords, that council, they can do whatever they want. If they want money, they can just take it. If they want an army, they can just force sons and daughters into fighting for them. If they want to kill someone, they can do it without any reason."

Korra was unable to say anything else. She tried to blink away the tears. She did not bother to look at the man who just confirmed her worst fears. Zaheer saw this and scooted closer to her.

"What's wrong?" He put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's all my fault. I made the world a terrible place," Korra's voice broke at the last syllable.

"No. It's not. You can't blame yourself for mistakes you made that you had no control over. You are your own person. You are not Aang or Roku or any other Avatar. You are Korra," He squeezed her shoulder tight, "They did not have the guidance that you have right now. My friends and I are going to prepare you for your responsibilities. You won't be a chapter in that book like all the other incarnations of the Avatar. You will be legendary."

"Really?"

"You will change the world. And they will always remember what you did for the people. I believe in you. Ming-Hua believes in you. Ghazan and P'Li believe in you."

Korra simply smiled and she wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

"One last question. What were you doing sitting with your eyes closed?"

"I was meditating."

"Why?"

"It helps me relax. It makes me strong in mind," Zaheer pointed to his forehead and then to his chest, "And spirit."

"Does it work?"

"Yes."

"Can I try it too?"

"Yes."

"You sit like this. It's called Lotus position… And you close your eyes… Relax your body… Breathe slowly. And then—"

"Hey Zaheer?"

"Yes Korra?"

"We should do this every day. I want you to be my teacher and we should meditate together. Is that okay?"

"Yes. That's okay."

"Every morning, alright?"

"I promise."

They remained silent for some time together, but it was soon interrupted by light snoring. He opened his eyes to see Korra sleeping, leaning forward, still in Lotus position. He smiled and carried her gently. As he held the Avatar in his arms, he turned to see P'Li watching and smiling. They always avoided the subject. Because she did not want to see the regret in his eyes. And he did not want to see the sadness in hers either. The life they chose together did not allow it.

But they always wanted to have a child of their own.

And the universe decided to reward them for their patience all these years.

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading! Sorry for the long wait, "Enter the Void" and "Venom of the Red Lotus" killed me with feels.

**Endless Strategy Games****:** That was supposed to be a joke (it came from "The Revelation" when Korra said the morning is evil during Pro-bending practice). I tried. Thank you for the feedback!

**Lady Elvira: **Yeah that part about the "morning being evil" was a joke. What Ghazan said to Zaheer will be brought up again in the future. And thank you for catching my mistake in the ending for Chapter 3! It was actually incomplete. I revised it. I appreciate your observations!

**KingOfTheRock: **The "volcano" and "flashing lights" Korra saw in the distance was Ghazan and P'Li using their bending. She just assumed that it was a volcano. They were being careless and that was why Zaheer scolded them in Chapter 3. Korra doesn't know about P'Li and Ghazan's bending abilities yet. Thank you for the review!


	5. Instinct is a Lie

**_The Original Nature of the Heart_**

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When they could feel the morning light pass over their bodies, they stopped meditating. Korra got on her feet, excitement twinkling in her eyes. Zaheer stood up as well.

"I'm proud of you," Zaheer folded his arms, "You didn't fall asleep this time."

"Is it true what you said?" Korra asked enthusiastically, dismissing his comment, "That if I meditate hard enough I can enter the Spirit World?"

"Eager to ask questions are we?" Zaheer raised an eyebrow, "And yes, if one can discipline the mind and body, the spirit will separate and cross over to the other world. But for someone who has just started meditating, they can rely on the winter solstice which is coming in a few weeks. It helps make the transition easier."

"The winter solstice? What's that?"

"The winter solstice is an astronomical event. To make it easier for you to understand, it's the shortest day in the entire year. The boundary between both worlds becomes blurred and it allows for the spirits to visit our world at night."

"Have you ever went to the Spirit World?"

"Yes," Zaheer could not help but smile, "I have made many trips to the Spirit World."

"Really!? What's it like."

"It is both beautiful and terrifying all at the same time."

Zaheer held his and out and she accepted it. They entered the frozen ice cave where the others were beginning to wake up.

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"Can I go out exploring?" The young Avatar said sweetly. The others were gathered around a lava pit Ghazan created.

"Outside? I would not recommend it," Zaheer said, sipping tea.

"You guys said the White Lotus won't be searching for us. I can defend myself Zaheer! Look," Korra waterbended the snow from the mouth of the cave and began to slash the air with a water whip.

"That is the most basic of waterbending techniques. It won't be enough to let you go out alone." Korra pouted and she folded her arms, the water spilling on the floor. Then her eyes lit up with a grand idea.

"Then would one of you like to keep an eye on me when I go out exploring?" Ghazan and Ming-Hua exchanged tired looks. Before Zaheer could even open his mouth, Ming-Hua was the first to speak.

"Ghazan and I have been stuck babysitting that brat ever since she got here," Ming-Hua turned to the Avatar and mouthed the words _I'm sorry_, causing the girl to tilt her head, "I say P'Li should be a bit more responsible. What do you think Ghazan?"

"Mmhmm," Ghazan answered through a mouth full of blubbered seal jerky. Ming-Hua suddenly became fascinated with the fur trim of her polar boots as both Korra and P'Li scowled contemptuously at the armless waterbender. Zaheer could almost feel P'Li's third eye burn a hole through his skull when she turned to look at him. He dreaded what might come next.

"P'Li, my lov—"

"Fine. Let's go." His girlfriend said irately to the girl. Zaheer let out a sigh of relief.

"Yay!" Korra nearly bolted out of the cave.

"Hey Korra! Here's some seal jerky in case you get hungry!" Ghazan called out, throwing the bag to the Avatar. She caught the bag and made a run for it. As P'Li walked past her friends she swiped the air with a clenched fist and the heat of the lava pit was stolen.

"Hey!" Ghazan exclaimed, rubbing his arms from the cold, already shivering.

"Don't be such a baby," Ming-Hua grumbled.

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"Hey! Don't go too far!" P'Li shouted.

"I'm standing right next to you!" Korra yelled back.

"Oh yeah? You were walking too fast! Do you want to get lost!?"

"You're holding my hand!" Korra tried to tug her hand away, but P'Li's grip was tighter, "And I want you to get lost!"

"Real mature. Quit acting like a child!"

"I am a child! You're so mean and dumb! Ugh!" Korra clenched her free hand, ready to ignite.

"And don't you even think about doing what you did to Zaheer on me. You're just going to make me very, very angry."

Korra exhaled, calming down and letting go of her anger, like Zaheer had told her… But Zaheer is not here. _What did he see in this woman?_

"Where's the bathroom? I need to go to the bathroom," Korra whined. P'Li glared at her.

"The world is your bathroom. And you can't leave my sight."

"Eww! You're gonna watch me? You're gross! Do you watch Zaheer and the others too?" Korra rambled on and P'Li finally threw her hands up.

"Fine! Go. You have exactly one minute."

Korra disappeared behind a steep hill and out of P'Li's sight. She surveyed the vast white expanse of snow before her. She took a few steps back, leaped forward, and then slid down the hill with her waterbending just like Ming-Hua had taught her. And as her feet glided across the ice, she tripped over something and she sailed in the air. Korra fell, her face buried in the soft snow. She got up and saw that she did not hit a rock. It was white, just like the snow. And it was just as big as her.

And it had fur.

She observed the creature, captivated as it uncurled its body, revealing thick forelegs and coal black eyes.

"A polar bear pup," Korra whispered to herself, her heart racing. Her father always said that the polar bear dog is the scariest of all beasts. But this pup did not look that scary. "Hey, where's your momma?" She asked softly. The dog whimpered and backed away in response, shaking in fear.

Korra's breath escaped her mouth as the furry creature with black eyes looked straight at her. She reached her hand towards it. The animal backed away and began to growl at her, but then it looked away and started to whimper. Its body was quaking with fear, its tail between its legs.

"It's okay," She reached for the bag strapped to her side and tossed a piece of seal jerky towards the dog.

"It's okay," Korra whispered again. The pup sniffed the piece of dried meat and took a bite of it. Korra smiled and she reached her hand out towards the pup. The polar bear dog looked up; its eyes wide with fear. The pup whined and ran the opposite direction. "No! Wait!"

"What are you doing!?"

Korra's blood was like ice running through her veins and a foreboding shadow passed over. She was too scared to even look behind her shoulder…

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**O-O-O~~~~~~~~~~~~O-O-O~~~~~~~~~~~~O-O-O**

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"Korra, you haven't said anything since we've meditated," Zaheer said. Korra could hear the concern in his voice. When she opened her eyes she saw him looking directly at her. He actually looked worried.

"You've always said you wanted to meditate in silence. I'm fine."

"You're still angry at P'Li aren't you?" Korra's face twisted with aversion at the sound of the woman's name.

"Ugh! She's so mean and bossy and rude!" Korra rubbed the arm P'Li nearly tore off when she was caught near that polar bear pup.

"She was only trying to protect you."

"Yeah right. She doesn't care about me."

"That's not true. She worries about you and your safety."

"Zaheer, I don't have any friends." The man actually seemed hurt by that statement.

"Hey, I thought you were getting along with Ming-Hua and Ghazan. And what about me?"

"You guys are different. It's just… I just wanted a friend. Someone who knows what it's like to be alone," Korra murmured the last part, looking down, afraid she might cry again.

"Did you know, way before I met Ghazan and Ming-Hua, back when P'Li wasn't my girlfriend, I used to have a best friend," Zaheer confessed. Korra looked at him, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes, he was a very wise and spiritual person. And although we both came from completely different backgrounds, we were almost like brothers."

"How did you meet him?"

"We were both inducted into the Red Lotus at the same time. He was from the Northern Water Tribe, but I met him in the Spirit World."

"Why… why aren't you friends with him now?" Korra asked. Zaheer closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Years passed and we began to drift apart. He was not the same man I once knew. He had even forsaken the mission of the Red Lotus in the pursuit of other goals," Zaheer clenched his hands, "He was the one who revealed to the White Lotus of your whereabouts."

"He did? Why!? How!?" Korra stood up abruptly, in utter shock and disbelief.

"I ask that question to myself every day. All I know is he betrayed me and my friends to the White Lotus."

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**A/N:** I'm sorry for the long wait (yes, it's because of school, please forgive me)! I am actually eagerly waiting for _The Legend of Korra_ video game to be released because I might want to include Hundun and other story elements from the game into this story. I appreciate your patience! And thank you all for reading and reviewing! This fanfic will never die!

Also (if you're planning on writing a review) do you guys want me to "skim" through the training and adventures Korra has with the Red Lotus and dive head first into the intense main story? Or do you like the pace as it is?

**Lady Elvira:** Thank you for your reviews! I always look forward to them. They can be very inspiring! And yes, there will be more Mingzan ;)

**daydreamer:** I love long reviews! Thank you for taking the time to write that! I love hearing what you all think! And I am glad you loved the humor, I try!

**starheart*fallenstar:** I'm sorry if it seems like I abandoned this story! Thank you for the review! My writing gives you chills!? Uh-oh…


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